


Finding Mr. Right (Arranged Marriage AU)

by motorbike_on_the_avenue



Series: 30 days cheesy tropes challenge [19]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: 30 Day Cheesy Tropes Challenge, Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Human, Reality TV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-06
Updated: 2017-05-06
Packaged: 2018-10-28 18:57:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10837362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/motorbike_on_the_avenue/pseuds/motorbike_on_the_avenue
Summary: Dean's the latest contestant on the reality TV show, Finding Mr. Right. The general public have spent six weeks voting 20 potential husbands-to-be down to just one.Who will be waiting for Dean at the end of the aisle?





	Finding Mr. Right (Arranged Marriage AU)

**Author's Note:**

> This is my take on an arranged marriage AU. This is one of my favourite cheesy tropes that I've written, and I really hope you like it too. I know it's a little out of the box for being an arranged marriage AU, but I wanted something different.

Dean had no idea why he was doing this. Sitting in a waiting room at a chapel, in a tuxedo, waiting for his husband to be.

His husband who he’s never met. Never even seen.

Dean throws his head back, closing his eyes. This is mental. What possessed him to do this?

Oh, right. Cause he was 34, and lonely. His last relationship had ended six years ago and since then it had either been causal hook ups in bars, or nothing.

‘Yo, bitch. You okay?’ Charlie, Dean’s best friend has come through the door. Dean tries to get a peep outside, but she’s too quick for him, shutting the door with a sharp click. ‘No peeking! You agreed, remember?’

‘Why am I doing this?’

‘Because it’s fun?’ Charlie says.

‘This does not feel fun anymore Charlie,’ Dean says. She crosses the room, taking his hands in hers.

‘Dean, if you want me to go out there and tell everyone that you don’t want to do this anymore, I will. I’ll tell them to turn the cameras off, tell your husband to be to go away and send everyone home.’

Dean’s tempted to tell her yes. Except, he knows he can’t. He signed the contracts, they’ve been filming him for six weeks now.

‘Why did I agree to this?’ he asks again instead. He doesn’t even think he was drunk when he filled in his application and sent it into the producers.

Then he got the phone call that they’d picked him to be the newest contestant for _Finding Mr. Right._ He had to go to a few interviews first and screen tests, but he’d done all of that, knowing what was going to be at the end of it; why was he currently freaking out so badly?

_Finding Mr. Right_ was currently in its fourth season. There had been three girls before Dean, all looking to marry, and the producers had loved that Dean would be their first gay guy.

For the past six weeks, there’s been a house of guys all competing to be the one waiting at the end of the aisle today. 

Dean’s been kept away from the outside world for six weeks. He gets a daily news update, and his friends and family are allowed to visit, but can reveal no details about the contestants to him. Over the weeks, the twenty contestants have been whittled down (a combination of viewer vote offs, and Dean’s friends and family getting to eliminate a few) to two.

Last night was the final viewer vote. The public had to call in, and decide which one they thought would be a better match for Dean. He’s out there now, just waiting.  

‘Mainly because I pressured you into it,’ Charlie says now. ‘It was just supposed to be a bit of fun, remember? Look, I know you’re about to get married and that’s scary. But this is a TV show. No one cares if you fall in love with the guy out there. In fact, the channel will probably love it if you get divorced – it will give them more column inches.’

‘Do you know which one they picked?’ Dean asks. Charlie was one of the five ‘friends&family’ that have been heavily involved in the filming of the show. Along with Dean’s brother Sam, Dean’s Mum and Dad Mary and John and his other best friend Benny. They film interviews with them about what Dean’s like, and get to hang out with the contestants.

Charlie shakes her head.

‘No.’ She hesitates.

‘What, Charlie? Come on, just tell me.’

‘The final two…well. There was one guy…honestly, I think he’d be pretty perfect for you. I mean he’s stubborn and his pop culture knowledge is shockingly bad, but I just…I feel like you and him would be downright near perfect for each other.’

‘And the other guy?’ Dean asks. He knows he shouldn’t be asking, knows he promised it would be a complete surprise when he walked to the front of the aisle, but he needs to know something. Charlie wrinkles her nose.

‘He’s alright. I guess. I mean to be honest I think he’s only got this far because he’s the villain. He’s quite funny I suppose. British. But man, I wouldn’t want to cross him. He seems like he’s got this dark side you know, like he’s only out for himself. Honestly, I wanted to get rid of him with my vote, but there was this other creepier guy who made my skin crawl, and…’ Charlie stops. ‘Whoops. Sorry. You’ll get to see the tapes in a few minutes. Everyone’s just getting ready now.’

‘A few minutes?’ Dean asks. ‘Aren’t I supposed to be getting married now?’ Charlie winces again.

‘Well, they decided to change the format a little this year – didn’t you read the new rules they sent you?’ Dean shakes his head. He did see the email about that, but he figured if he was doing anything wrong one of the producers would tell him. ‘Okay. Well before you get married you’re going to sit through the tapes. You’ll get to see all the men you could have had. And then you’ll see who the final two are, and…’

‘And then I’ll walk down the aisle and marry one of them?’ Dean says. Charlie nods. Then she leans up and gives him a kiss on the cheek.

‘They’re going to come and get you in a minute, but I just wanted to make sure you’re okay. Your Mum’s already crying happy tears and Sam’s busy flirting with that camerawoman.’

‘Jess?’ Dean guesses – he’s met her a couple of times. She’s blonde and smiley and Dean can totally see why his baby brothers got a crush on her.

Charlie nods, and then the doorknob turns behind her.

‘Good luck,’ she says.

 

 Dean’s sat on a couch with a TV in front of him. They’re going to show him the guys in the contest, and then little bits and pieces of each of them. He’s told it should only take an hour.

One hour. Then he’s going to get married.

There’s a camera on him, to gauge his reaction. It’ll appear in a little view screen in the bottom right hand when the episode airs tomorrow night.

Dean had to pass security guards to get into this wedding hall. The producers are taking no chances of any leaks – they want the viewers to tune in tomorrow, and then they’ll skype with Dean and his new husband and see how they’re getting on.

They also come back next year to check up on them. So far, none of the couples from previous seasons have been together one year later.

At least he won’t be the only one, Dean thinks.

The video starts, what seems like a non-stop line of men flashing in front of Dean. He gets to see their profile for about ten seconds, with an information bar down the side listing jobs and likes, family and why they decided to enter this show.

Dean only pays attention to a few.

There’s Crowley, a guy with a creepy smile; Aaron, who’s apparently interested in myths and legends; Gordon, a guy who makes Dean’s skin crawl; Nick, who seems like a laugh; and Castiel a guy so gorgeous it makes Dean’s heart skip a beat.

He watches as they greet each other, the big players shouting and laughing, others just hanging out at the edges of the group; as they meet his family and friends, and get chatting to them.

He sees his parents chatting to a few of the guys, but his eyes keep drifting to where Castiel – or Cas as he prefers to be known, - is talking to Sam. They’re right at the side of the group, but the conversation looks really intense; Sam’s even using hand gestures.

He watches as his family and friends line up and discuss what they’ve learned. Five of the guys will be chucked out next week, based on the viewers votes.

When they go, Dean doesn’t care about any of them. He’s not even sure he could tell you their names.

The next clip is of the remaining 15 looking at a photo of him. Some of them are vocal about how hot he looks (and yes, it did take him and Charlie two hours to decide on which photo to use, Sam giving up and going to bed just half an hour after they started). Some of them, like Cas, the guy with messy dark hair and blue eyes, just sweep their eyes over the photo, seemingly to take in everything about him. One guy makes a face.

Dean watches as the group do activities. They’re supposed to do things each week that Dean has an interest in, to see if they’d have shared hobbies. The first thing they do is go LARPing which is hilarious. Charlie and Dean go whenever they have a spare weekend. Some of the guys hate it, complaining about the wigs, and the costumes. Others, like Cas seem to enjoy it; Dean learns Cas’s parents taught history at university and he’s really good at keeping the medieval theme up. Some, like a guy called Balthazar go all out, taking part in every game, and doing everything with gusto. It has Dean laughing, wiping tears from his eyes.

Another two are voted off mid-week, and the rest get to spend the day baking. Dean’s a bit obsessed when it comes to pie. The guys seem to have a laugh baking (except for Crowley who mumbles ‘fuck this’ and spends the time sitting with his feet up. At the end of the night when they have to present their pies, he shows up with one he had delivered to the house.) The best is Castiel’s who admits that his brother is a baker, and he sometimes helps design them – but it’s only the best looking one. While the pastry has been carved to perfection with roses on top, the thing must taste terrible because everyone who eats it spits it out.

Cas just smiles into the camera, and Dean’s stomach flips a little.

Another three are sent home then, leaving just ten guys left. One of those guys on screen will be Dean’s husband.

Husband.

He finds his eyes drifting to Cas again, then snaps them back to the rest of the guys. It could be anyone. He can’t…he can’t let himself hope.

The next clip shows the guys spending time with his family and friends again. They’re hanging out in a garden, all mingling together. Dean knows at the end of this episode it cut live to the house where each of his friends and family got to eliminate a person.

He watches as Charlie votes off Gordon (and man, is he happy about that.)

His parents choose to vote off two of the guy’s Dean hasn’t bothered paying attention to.

Sam gets rid of Aaron, saying he’s sorry, he just doesn’t think him and Dean have all that much in common.

And Benny votes off another guy, that Dean’s pretty sure hasn’t even been on screen until now – okay, well obviously, he has, but he’s so plain, Dean doesn’t remember anything about him.

The final five are Nick, Castiel, Crowley, Balthazar and a guy whose name seems to be ‘Dr. Sexy.’ Dean wonders why he hasn’t noticed him before, because hell yeah, he’s sexy. He’s got these cowboy boots going on that Dean’s really liking.

Next up is short interviews with the final five. They ask them why they entered the contest, and what they think it will be like to be married to Dean. Balthazar and Crowley both say they did it for fun, and that they should win because they’re obviously the best people on the planet (okay, well not quite like that, Dean’s paraphrasing, but basically, they think they’re something special.) Dr. Sexy talks about how with a job like his it can be hard to find something real, and he’s had quite intense relationships in the past. Nick says he’s looking for a best friend, someone he can look up to and just love, which Dean finds a little creepy.

And then Castiel comes up. He’s looking into the camera with that earnest gaze, and Dean feels like he’s gazing right at him. He talks about how he’s looking for someone to share his life with; that he seems to have tried a variety of other ways to find people he’ll match with, but nothing seemed to work so he decided why not do something completely out there and crazy.

Dean feels warmth spreading through his body as he listens to Cas speak. He’s not even sure he’s blinking and it’s only when the guy behind the camera sneezes that he jerks back into himself.

There’s another public vote, and Dean finds himself crossing his fingers. He knows who he wants to be at that aisle now.

Cas makes it through to the top two with Crowley, and the tape comes to an end, the screen going black.

‘It’s time,’ the camera guy says checking his watch. ‘Are you ready?’

 

Dean knows it’s impossible to fall in love with someone though a TV screen. He knows it’s not love, it’s wish fulfilment, or falling in lust, or maybe even that he so desperately doesn’t want to be married to that Crowley guy, not even for a second.         

Dean’s at the top of the aisle now, his family sitting behind him. It’s a small wedding – less chance of leaks that way – and at the moment there’s a big white sheet down the middle of the aisle. In a couple of minutes the sheet will drop, and he’ll be looking into the face of his husband to be.

He turns to Sam and Charlie who’re behind him, his best man and maid of honour. He doesn’t know what his husband’s to be got waiting to support him on the other side. He’s not even there at the moment, they’re still waiting for him to come out the side door and take his place.

‘Hey guys, I need to ask you something,’ Dean says. He grabs them together, pulling them into a tight hug and whispering something in their ear. Charlie grins and squeaks up at him, while Sam just raises an eyebrow.

‘You know, Dean, it might not even come to that. I mean, it’s like a 50% chance,’ Sam says.

‘Yeah, well,’ Dean says, but that’s all he gets to. There’s music now, some classical thing playing from the walls, and that’s Dean’s cue to turn. He braces himself. Tries to school his face into a neutral mask because if that curtain drops and its Crowley he’s going to have to put on the show of his life.

It’ll be fine, Dean reminds himself. He’s asked Charlie and Sam if they could find out what Cas’s number is. Just in case things don’t work with Crowley. Charlie’s the best IT hacker he knows; if anyone can get Cas’s number out of the computer files it’s her.

He takes a deep breath as the music cuts out.

The curtain drops.

 

Dean finds a grin spreading over his face as a pair of steady blue eyes gaze back at him.

‘Hello, Dean. It’s nice to finally meet you,’ Cas says. He looks to be on the verge of holding out his hand for Dean to shake, but quickly drops the idea.

For the first time since this morning, the nerves in Dean’s stomach have stopped.

‘You ready for this?’ he asks Cas instead, taking a step forward.

‘No, not at all, but I’ve signed a contract and there are currently seven different cameras on me. Plus, I can’t imagine how my nerves compare to yours; I at least knew who would be on the other side of the curtain.’

The register starts his speech, welcoming everyone today, and Dean can hear his mother sniffing back tears.

Dean smiles a little at Cas.

He can’t wait for the ‘you may now kiss the groom’ part.

 

**One Year Later**

‘Shit, Cas, they’re going to be skyping literally any second now. Did you find your shirt?’

‘No,’ Cas says appearing in the bedroom doorway. ‘But I found one of yours.’ He’s wearing Dean’s worn and frayed AC/DC shirt. It hangs a little loose on him, and a little long, but Dean has this thing about Cas being in his clothing where he just kind of fucking loves it.

‘I swear this better be over and done with soon. As soon as they hang up I am taking you to bed…’ Dean’s cut off as the Skype ringtone starts up, and Cas walks over to sit beside him on their sofa.

The host of _Finding Mr Right_ appears in their laptop, all smiley and made up. After this skype school, she’ll be introducing the new _Finding Mr Right_ contestant to the nation. She asks them how they’ve been and how Dean’s family is doing – although she already knows. She came to Sam and Jess’s baby shower just a couple of weeks ago.

‘Now, I believe this is the first time that we’ve had a couple on the show actually show up together a year later. Does this mean what I think it means?’ she asks them now.

‘Actually, we’re divorced,’ Dean says. Him and Cas hold up their left hands, fingers devoid of wedding bands.

‘Oh?’ she says. She sounds shocked, but Dean knows it’s all part of the act. She knows exactly what’s going to happen tonight. ‘Are you guys just good friends then?’

‘No. We’re more than that. We decided a few months after the show to get divorced,’ Dean says. ‘It didn’t feel right being married to someone because of a TV show. But,’ he says, taking Cas’s hand in his. ‘We are actually still together. We live together, we’re dating. He’s my best friend,’ Dean says grinning at Cas, who’s grinning back.

‘Well, that’s really lovely to hear,’ the presenter says. ‘Although I believe that Dean you did actually have something to ask Castiel tonight, didn’t you?’ She grinning herself now, as Dean slides to one knee on the living room floor of his and Cas’s apartment. They’d both agreed that the divorce was a good thing; that if they wanted to stay together, it was better to start things right; date first, then move in together, and then get married.

‘Dean, what on earth are you doing?’ Cas asks. His mouth is open as he looks between the ring box Dean’s pulled from underneath their coffee table, and Dean on the floor in front of him.

‘Cas, I didn’t get to do this the first time round. But, I know you’re the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. And not just because we’ve signed contracts and have seven cameras on us this time. We both know what we’re getting into here, and I wanted to do this properly. So, what do you say Cas? Will you marry me?’

Cas launches himself off the sofa, straight into Dean’s arms, mumbling the word yes over and over again.

‘Okay, well, I think we’ve caught up with the happy couple from last year enough now. Let’s let them celebrate their engagement in style shall we? Seriously guys, come on, cut the connection, this show is on before the watershed,’ the host says, the last bit off camera to the crew.

Dean lifts a hand from Cas’s back and snaps the laptop shut. He feels around for the discarded ring box on the floor, pulling the simple silver ring from it, and then pulls away from Cas’s lips.

‘Here, Cas.’

Cas holds his left hand up for Dean to slip the ring onto his third finger.

Dean doesn’t think anything’s ever looked so perfect.


End file.
